Five months passed, and not one day went by where I didn’t go over the Monkees’ pad or Helen’s house, or they didn’t come over mine. Thanks to the decorating skills of both Micky and Davy, my home had a nice, cozy lived-in feeling. The boys and Helen had little touches of themselves all over my apartment (which was nicknamed “Kibbles & Bits” after I voiced my pet food brand naming idea).
I’d gotten a job as a waitress at the Vincent Van Go-Go club. It wasn’t great, but it paid the rent until I could find a better job. The club held a sort of cabaret performing show once a week-I really wanted to be in one but hadn’t worked up the nerve to try out yet. One of these days.
Davy had become my best friend over the months. We were as close as brother and sister; Peter had even mentioned that we sorta looked alike, us both being five feet three inches and having brown hair and eyes. No romance whatsoever, in fact we always tried to set each other up with people we’ve met. I never knew what it was to have a best friend, and I’m telling you it’s the greatest feeling in the world, knowing that at the end of my day I always had someone to call up and talk about it.
Peter and I were as close as close could be. I’d come to realize a long time ago that he was a dreamer, and we’d spend hours just telling each other what our hopes for the future were and now are. That was nice, too, being able to inform someone that I’d always wanted to be a Broadway actress and not worry about being laughed at.
Micky and I were pals. He was the guy I’d release all my pent-up craziness with-whether it was performing our werewolves mating ritual for a very irritated Mike or pretending to be Mexican jumping beans, it was always fun and I could always count on him to cheer me up.
Helen and I were girlfriends like the boys could never be. We gossiped and shopped and discussed sex the way girls do without guys around. It wasn’t new to me, I have to say, because all my friends back home in Massachusetts were girls, but Helen never really had a girlfriend so I was a big relief to her.
Mike and I weren’t exactly what you’d call buddies. I joked and teased him mercilessly and he countered with teasing of his own. I didn’t like him much still, but I’d warmed up to his personality a bit, and he appeared to do the same with me. In fact, that very day I was heading over to the pad with a pink wool hat sitting on top of my head just to get a rise out of him.
“Hello!” I called cheerfully as I opened the door to let myself in. Mike was sitting at the table, his trademark hat on top his head; paper in hand, coffee in other. He glanced up and groaned. “You like my new look, Mike?”
“It’s darlin.’ I didn’t know you cared for my style so much, Jacobson.” He stood up to refill his mug, and I followed him to the kitchen.
“You know I always look up to you, Nesmith.” I made a goofy face as he glanced down at me.
“Cute, very cute.” He drawled, giving me a pat on the head, which he knew annoyed me. Davy ran down the stairs just then, still in his bathrobe.
“Hey Katie. Like your look, though why anyone would want to wear a wool hat in California is beyond me.” He smirked at Mike, who rolled his eyes.
“Cute, very cute.” He repeated and patted Davy on the head, which he knew bugged him to no end. He exited the kitchen with his own self-satisfied smirk etched on his face.
“So, how’d your date with Marissa go? Hmm?” I elbowed him as he gave me a huge grin.
“Great, just groovy. I’m seeing her again tomorrow night, in fact, after our gig at the Club Cassandra.”
“Very cool. Well, I kne-“ I was interrupted by a flash of curly brown hair, who just happened to be howling at the top of his lungs while running around like a maniac.
“MICKY!” Mike yelled from the table outside the kitchen.
“It’s alright Mike, he’s just imitating you when you’re mad, that’s all.” I called out as Davy and Micky burst out laughing. I heard grumbling and the scratch of a chair pushing back. “Uh oh.” Mike stomped into the kitchen with an extreme look of grouchiness on his face.
“Now see here, Katie, Micky too-“ He began his long lecture as Micky and I looked around desperately for a way out of it, and like an angel from heaven Helen appeared at the door.
“Helen!” I rushed over to her and gave her a big hug. “You saved us!” I whispered.
“You yelling at them again, Mike?” She asked with an amused look. He stalked into the living room looking utterly ridiculous in his robe and green hat (I mean, really, it’s impossible to take anyone seriously when they’re in a striped robe and green hat, you know?). He scowled at me but Helen threw herself into his arms giving him a passionate kiss before he could say anything.
“Helen is our savior!” Micky cried out dramatically as he swung into the room, planting kisses at her feet.
“Oh Micky.” Davy rolled his eyes and motioned for me to come upstairs. “Now, about Marissa…”
The next night Helen, Marissa and I were seated at a table in the Club Cassandra, waiting for the guys to perform. Marissa was sweet; she had gorgeous blonde hair that came down to her waist. I liked her a lot, but I could tell she was jealous of Davy’s friendship with me-in fact, just to put her mind at ease I flirted with this guy at the next table. He was cute, really. He had long light brown hair and green eyes.
“Hey, I like your shirt.” I complimented him, flashing a smile.
“Thanks, I like your hair. It's very pretty, all up like that.” He leaned back in his chair for a better position to see me in.
“Ooh, I like you.” Marissa and Helen giggled. “You know, I’m with the band.” I boasted mockingly.
“You are? Well, that’s pretty psychedelic.” He repositioned himself back at the table. “Why don’t you come over here?”
“Well, alright.” I gave a “Yep-I-got-him” look to the girls as they each gave me the thumbs up sign and I headed over to join him.
“So, what’s your name?”
“Katie.”
“That’s a cute name. Mine’s Keith.”
“Hmm…Katie and Keith, it has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”
“Katie and Keith, Katie and Keith…don’t you like Keith and Katie much better?” I laughed and was about to comment when Mike’s voice over the microphone interrupted me.
“Uh, hey everyone, how ya’ll doin’ tonight?” Mike boomed and loud cheers followed. “Good, that’s good. We’re the Monkees-“ more applause, and I whistled loudly. He looked out over the audience, not sure who the source of the whistle was, so he just winked and called out “Thanks, Ma!” and they began playing “Last Train to Clarksville.”
“I scored!” I yelped loudly as we left the club. Davy had gone off with Marissa in her car, so I had no one left to brag too but Micky, Mike and Peter, since Helen had already heard the good news. Keith had given me his phone number with instructions to call him tomorrow afternoon.
“That’s groovy, Katie.” Peter grinned as I waved the napkin with his phone number scrawled on it in his face. Micky yowled and gave me a noogie as Mike sighed and rolled his eyes. I was really hyper so I began jumping up and down beside the gouch-meister himself.
“You can call me Ma from now on.”
“So you’re the wise-ass who whistled. I shoulda guessed.”
“Guess what, guess what, guess what?” I continued bouncing.
“What, what, what?” He asked irritably.
"I scored!”
“Oh shut up already.”
“Hi all!” I skipped into the pad with groceries in tow.
“What’s that?” Peter asked, pointing to my bag.
“I stopped by the grocery store for kugal supplies.”
“Oh goody! We’re having kugal for dinner?” He jumped up and down excitedly.
“Nope, I’m going out with Keith tonight.”
“That’s right.” He looked crestfallen.
“Oh, I’m sorry Peter, I’ll make it tomorrow night, okay?”
“Okay!” He bounded out to the beach, grabbing his surfboard on the way.
“Daaaavyyyyyyy!” I called out. He peered out from the downstairs bathroom.
“Be down in a minute!” I heard the running of water for a few seconds and then it turned off. A couple minutes later Davy reappeared freshly shaved, and he slid down the banister. “Hi Katie. How’s this Keith thing going?”
“Great! I’m going out with him tonight. But how’s Marissa? I really like her.”
“She’s groovy, I’m seeing her tonight also.”
“Wow, three dates must be a record for you.” I joked.
“You should talk.” He countered. I looked at the clock on the wall as I set down my bag.
“Oh my god! Dark Shadows is on!” I rushed to television set and turned it on.
“We missed the beginning! Shoot!” Davy dove for the couch as I turned up the volume. Dark Shadows was a gothic/supernatural soap opera I’d gotten Davy addicted too after we became friends.
“I missed yesterdays episode…what happened?” Davy asked during a commercial.
“Well, you know how Barnabas went back to 1897 to see why Quentin’s ghost is possessing David and Amy, right? And to see why he’s after Chris Jennings?” He made a ‘yeah-yeah-go-on’ gesture so I quickened the pace. “Well, it seems that passing through the I-Ching door somehow transferred him back to a vampire-“
“No!”
“Uh huh.” I nodded seriously.
“After Julia cured him? Poor guy!” Mike walked in and groaned.
“No more Dark Shadows talk, please!” So far he was the only one I hadn’t gotten addicted to the show. Peter and Micky liked and watched it whenever they could, while Helen was as devoted to the show as Davy and I were, but Mike still stood firm on the fact that the show was “complete garbage, a waste of time.”
“Mike, you’ll like it, I swear! Roger, Liz’s brother, is bossy and acts as head of the house, and I think you’d dig someone having so much in common with you.” I pleaded, figuring if I could just get him to watch one episode…
“Oh, now I see why you like it so much! You found a character you have a lot in common with yourself.”
“Oh yeah, Nesmith? Who?”
“Isn’t there a werewolf on the show?” He smirked as I threw a couch cushion at him.
“Oh you!”
“Werewolf? Did someone just say werewolf?” Micky ran into the room, a mischievous look on his face. I caught his eye and we both jumped into our werewolf stances, clawing and yowling. Mike rolled his eyes and whispered to Davy “at least they’re not doing the mating thing again.” That was all we needed to start the mating ritual, which lasted until the commercial was over and the show began again.
“Kids.” Mike muttered and stalked out of the room.
I went back to my apartment about an hour after that to get ready for my date. I couldn’t decide on wearing my new yellow sweater and plaid miniskirt or peasant shirt and bellbottom jeans. I finally threw on my yellow sweater and bellbottoms when I realized I only had a half hour left to do my hair.
I was brushing my teeth when the doorbell rang. I quickly rinsed and ran to the front door.
“Hi!” I greeted Keith warmly. He smiled and gave me a bouquet of daisies. I grinned broadly, having been reminded of the first day I’d met my best friends.
“Groovy apartment.” He looked around after I let him inside.
“Yeah, you’d never know that I’d only lived in it for five months.” He laughed.
“No, I’d never be able to tell.” He motioned to my clothes and books and records scattered all over the couch and floor.
“Okay, so where are we going on this marvelous evening?”
“The movies, then on to a great restaurant called the Pink Fish.”
“The Pink Fish?” I said doubtfully.
“Really, it has better food than name.”
“Whatever you say, Keith.” I smiled as he opened the door for me, and we headed out.
The movies were great; the Pink Fish was even better. It was a seafood place, and we’d both gotten lobsters. I had spent a lot of time spying on other people’s orders to see if anyone had ordered something looking remotely like a pink fish, and was disappointed when Keith told me that the name of the restaurant was in reference to the owner’s old fishing boat.
“How’d you know that?”
“I know everything.” “Oh really?”
“No, I just read the back of the menu before.” He grinned sheepishly while I laughed.
“Shall we go?”
“We shall.” He offered me his arm and I took it, feeling kinda silly but good at the same time.
We walked out to his car, joking and laughing-basically just having a grand time. We had both had a bit too much to drink; at least I knew I was a little more than tipsy. I really didn’t know if Keith was.
The fun had wavered a little when I realized he wasn’t heading to my apartment.
“Hey, where you going? My house is thatta way.” I pointed behind me.
“I still have one more place to take you.” He kept his eyes on the road while I bit my lip and looked out the window. “What’s the matter, don’t you trust me?”
“I guess.” He kept driving on and finally we stopped at a woodsy area down a side road. “This isn’t much.” I looked around nervously. He leaned over and kissed me hard. “Stop!” I shouted, and shoved him aside. His face turned angry as he tried to kiss me once more and it got even angrier when I shoved him away again.
“Listen, we could do this the easy way, or are you gonna make it difficult?” He snarled, giving me a resounding slap as I spit on him. I tried desperately to open the doors-but they were all locked, and he had grabbed my arms by then anyway. He shoved me to the backseat and proceeded to force himself on me, as I tried to fight him off. All that got me was a punch in the eye and a kick in the shin.
And then there was nothing but blackness.